Which leaf blower is right for you?

The leaves are starting to come down and the leaf blowers are back in action. If you need a new blower, you need to decide whether to go gasoline or electric.

"The key thing is whether you'll be able to do the work say within 100 feet of a power outlet, because for most properties a simple, inexpensive handheld electric blower is your best choice," says Consumer Reports Home and Yard Editor Bob Markovich.

Markovich says you should also consider the weight. Gasoline-powered handheld blowers are heavier.

"Instead of about 6 to 8 pounds, they're very often 10 pound pounds or more," Markovich says. "Whereas, say a backpack blower, that's the kind that straps to your back, it really takes all that weight and puts it on your shoulders and takes it off your arms."

A gasoline-powered backpack blower is the most expensive way to go -- $300 or more. Expect to pay between $100 and $190 for a good gasoline handheld.